RECOVER STRONGER WITH MEDITERRANEAN LAMB

While you don’t need red meat for prime performance, it has its benefits during a tough lifting programme. ‘Athletes, especially strength athletes, require extra protein,’ says Price. ‘Lamb provides taurine, an amino acid involved in muscle cell hydration and recovery, carnosine, a compound that buffers the effect of intense exercise and reduces muscle fatigue, and creatine, which helps muscles to generate power.’ Combine this with high-fibre carbs, probiotic yoghurt and vitamin C-rich lemon and you have what amounts to a sports massage in a bowl. After all, there’s no point leaving it all on the gym floor if you’re left sofabound for the rest of the week.

CALS 631 | CARBS 53G | PROTEIN 34G | FAT 31G | SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

70g grass-fed lamb chump (a chop from the rump)

• 1 wholemeal pitta bread • 60g (cooked weight) spelt • 1 large tomato, roasted

and chopped • 1/4 cucumber, diced

• handful of mint leaves • 1 tsp preserved lemon,

chopped • 1 tbsp sumac • 1 tbsp

Greek yoghurt • 1 tbsp olive oil •

squeeze of lemon

METHOD

1 | Begin by slicing your lamb chump into four or five pieces. Season with salt and pepper, place on a tray and grill until cooked, but still pink in the middle.

2 | Meanwhile, toast the pitta, then tear it into pieces and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the spelt, tomato, cucumber, mint, preserved lemon and sumac to the bowl and mix well. Sumac has an antioxidant effect, supporting repair and immunity when your body is taking a battering.

3 | Finally, gently stir in the yoghurt and olive oil. Season again with salt, pepper and a bit of lemon juice and serve with the hot, grilled lamb.